


From the Beginning

by SomethingNormal



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Genderswap, Pre-Avengers (2012)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-15 00:05:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14779826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomethingNormal/pseuds/SomethingNormal
Summary: Claire Barton as Hawkeye and Nathaniel Romanov as the Black Widower.  Their partnership from the very beginning.





	From the Beginning

Agents bustled about the command center, talking in hushed tones as they gathered and relayed intel. Everyone was waiting to hear the same thing, and the clock was ticking down. If we didn’t get confirmation, we would pack up, move out, move on to the next plan or the next mission. I had long since grown accustomed to the waiting time before a mission, but I still felt the anxiety like chills across my skin. It was one of the few times I left my hearing aides at full volume and the ambient noises grated on my nerves even more.  
“We have confirmation,” Agent Hill announced and a reverent silence fell over the room. It was really happening.  
“This is a stupid plan,” I muttered. I ignored the shocked looks from some of the newer recruits but smirked as Maria rolled her eyes at me.  
“It’s my plan, Agent Barton,” Director Fury growled at me, “so show some respect.”  
“This is a stupid plan, sir,” I repeated, loyal to the sentiment.  
Director Fury’s scowl was enough to make the other agents in the room turn away and pretend to be extremely busy. I ate another cookie from my stash and rifled through my arrows to make sure I had enough explosives. Honestly, there could never be enough explosives, but I would make do with about fifteen.  
Stupid plan or not, I knew to follow my orders. I also knew that if we were successful – big if – the resulting intelligence could be a total game changer. And, if I was being completely honest, I was a bit hangry and couldn’t think of a better plan.  
“I need you one hundred percent on board for this, Barton,” Fury said.  
“I’m one hundred percent on board,” I said in all seriousness. Despite my grumblings and snark, if Fury was asking me to jump the only thing I needed to know was how high.

 

I walked along the rafters, reaching up to turn down the volume on my hearing aides. The sound of gunshots was starting to irritate me. We both knew I was protected in my current perch, but he was trying to intimidate me into making a mistake. My next perch would leave me a little more vulnerable and I notched an arrow in preparation.  
The arrow flew as I leapt across the rafters, hitting its mark – the exact spot Romanov had stood a moment before. His lips moved but I couldn’t hear him with my hearing aids turned down. I assumed he was trying to taunt me for missing, but didn’t have time to finish get more than a word out before the small explosion threw him against the support pillar. I made it to my next perch safely as he recovered, and then jumped to the next perch while he regained his feet. He immediately started firing at me again, I think a little pissed off.  
More agents were waiting outside for my command but Fury had sent me in alone. It was a delicate mission, requiring complete control of the situation. I shot another explosive arrow just for the heck of it. Now Romanov was definitely pissed.  
The other agents knew better than to come running at the sound of explosions and gunfire. I wouldn’t call them in unless all else failed for both their safety and Romanov’s. Besides, I had a halfway decent plan and more than a few tricks up my sleeve.  
Two more arrows this time followed by two more explosions. I took advantage of the chaos to abandon the high ground. Crouched behind a stack of wooden shipping crates, I notched a new arrow when I saw Romanov still looking up.  
The arrow flew true and he yanked it off his neck almost as soon as it struck. But the bot remained, emitting a piercing sound that brought him to his knees. It was purposefully outside my range of hearing and it still gave me a headache.  
Two shots from my stun piston – just to be on the safe side – and I knew he would be out long enough for transport. And just in case, I kept the pistol armed.  
“The Black Widower is in custody,” I radioed to command.

**Author's Note:**

> Character appearance and a certain penchant for snacks inspired by this artwork https://circusmayer.deviantart.com/art/Lady-Avengers-308538726 by CircusMayer on DeviantArt.  
> The first draft of this story was written on my phone during a nine hour layover if that explains anything at all.  
> Hawkeye is HOH in this story - please let me know if I've gotten anything wrong or there is any way I can make it better or more realistic. I decided to include it because it's a characteristic of Hawkeye that I know is important to a lot of people but I don't want to misrepresent the deaf or HOH community in any way.  
> Also! I love Black Widow as a female and I'm super stoked for a Black Widow movie. I did the genderswap because I wanted to play with new dynamics.


End file.
